Theresa May has said the Conservatives will ensure a ‘period of stability’ if they win the most seats.

Accepting victory in his constituency of Maidenhead, the prime minister said that if the Conservatives had won the most seats and most votes ‘it will be incumbent on us to ensure that we have that period of stability, and that is what we will do.’

‘At this time more than anything else, this country needs a period of stability,’ she began.

‘And if, as the indications have shown and if this is correct that the Conservative Party has won the most seats and probably the most votes, then it will be incumbent on us to ensure we have that period of stability – and that is exactly what we will do.’